Pages

Wednesday 2 April 2014

A-Z Challenge 2014 - 'B'

My A-Z posts this year will be about dogs I have known, dogs I talk to and some I would love to meet
Regular visitors to my blog will recognise some of them I’m sure. Hopefully you will find links to literature – fact and fiction, films, famous dogs and even a dog owner or two. As usual I am expecting to cheat for some letters of the alphabet; I’m sure you will see why.

B – Beagle, Bearded Collie, Bernese Mountain, Bull Terrier

The world’s most famous Beagle is Snoopy of course, although many of us in Britain would rate Gromit highly as well. Neither of them however show you a beagle in its true colours. I meet one occasionally in my North Yorkshire village.

Beagle
Not that she is very keen on having her photo taken.

The Beagle has been in the UK at least since the reign of Henry VIII (1491-1547) but some sources date them to the time of William the Conqueror. Sometimes known as the “singing Beagle” and quiet indoors, there is no mistaking its ‘song’ when it’s chasing rabbits.

President Lyndon Johnson caused a storm of protest on 4th May 1964 about his Beagle ‘Him’ when he was snapped –

President Johnson's Beagle
(By Yoichi R Okamota - LBJ's Library Website)
Lifting the dog by the ears.

If you like a dog that’s full of bounce you need look no further than

Bearded Collie - Lily
Lilly, or Elemark Waterlily to give her full name, has featured in my North Yorkshire Dogs series  here. She is still full of bounce when you meet her in the street. You need to be careful however as she is often wet and muddy, and always ready to share it with you.

Another clear round for Lily
On the other hand Lukka was much more sedate as befitted a ‘Pets As Therapy’ dog.

Bernese Mountain Dog - Lukka
Weighing in at 52kg Lukka really was a ‘mountain’ of a dog, and definitely the heaviest I’ve met. You can read more about his ‘Pets As Therapy’ role here.

This is a breed of dog I have not met.

White English Bull Terrier
(Edited; original by Canarian, 14.07,12 - CC BY-SA 3.0)
But ‘Bullseye’ I knew about from reading Dickens.

Bill Sikes & Bullseye
(From a c1870 photogravure illustration to Dickens's Oliver Twist - by Fred Barnard)


15 comments:

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Bob .. I inherited a bull terrier because my husband wanted one .. the husband went the beloved bull terrier stayed - til he really needed to live with a family. I still miss him many years on .. but that was in South Africa - ..

Great photos and that illustration .. lovely .. cheers Hilary

Anne Young said...

The two pictures of Lily show very different aspects of her :)

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

my eyes cross over the a-z challenge...but if you keep going with my fav species...I'll stay tuned in *smile*

SlimDoggy said...

Stopping by from the A to Z Challenge and imagine my surprise that you are writing about DOGS because I am a dog. A Labrador named SlimDoggy! Looking forward to reading your posts this month - always fun to learn about my fellow canines.

Shail said...

What a wonderful theme you have chosen for the challenge! I will be coming by for reading about the different dogs. Beagles are very gentle. Aren't they?
I have a Labrador named Luci and she is a handful. :D
Thanks for stopping by my page.

Anonymous said...

My uncles had a English Bull Terrier called Jade, lovely dog, really stupid but very loyal from what I remember (I was about eight at the time).

Rhi
scruffy-duck.net

Huntress said...

I will always have a dog at my side. Always.

Bish Denham said...

Oh, the Bernese Mountain dog is lovely!

Kristin said...

What was Pres. Johnson thinking, lifting the dog by his ears?

Jo said...

I always felt sorry for Bullseye and that photo certainly depicts that. What a huge dog. The Newfoundlanders are some of the biggest dogs I have ever seen. Great pix as usual

aw said...

That bearded collie looks a real live wire, Bob.Love watching dogs tackle these agility courses.
Ann

Dragon Tails and Scales said...

how fun - I'm certain the pooches are grateful for a place in the A to Z challenge

Enjoy the A to Z Challenge
Bridging Sorrow

Unknown said...

We had a Beagle (sort of) named Bagel and now we have a Bearded Collie (kind of) named Sophie. Love the pictures and descriptions.

Flea said...

I love that you've represented so many breeds today! Kate, of Slim Doggy, sent me your way and I'm so glad she did.

The bearded is probably my favorite of the dogs listed. Are you familiar with Snoopy the Bearded Collie? I think it's snoopysdogblog.com - wonderful photos.

I'll be back!
www.dogtreatweb.com

Lisa said...

I've always thought Beagles were one of the cutest dogs around... I don't really care for the look of the White English Bull Terrier but I have friends who do! And poor Bullseye, poor anyone who had to meet up with Bill Sikes!!!